THE HAGUE--The final Round Table Conference (RTC) held in The Hague Thursday marked a "special moment" in the constitutional history of the Dutch Kingdom, said Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.
"Five years ago we entered into an intense process that is concluded today – a process that leads to the most drastic revision of the Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 1954. We are starting a new chapter in the Kingdom. October 10, 2010, is not the end of the road, but a starting point of new relations," said Balkenende in his speech at the end of the final RTC that was held in the Ridderzaal.
"Now we have to get to work with the agreements that were made," said Balkenende. He noted that there was a solid package of legal, administrative and financial arrangements for the future of the Kingdom – "a package that enables the governments within the Kingdom to achieve the best for their citizens," he said.
Balkenende said at a press conference following the signing of the final RTC document that he was happy to have concluded the trajectory to realise new relations in the Kingdom whereby Curaçao and St. Maarten would attain the status of country in the Kingdom and Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba would become part of the Netherlands as "public entities" by October 10. The country the Netherlands Antilles will cease to exist as of that date.
"I am glad we were able to put the crown on this immense work, which will ultimately benefit the people of the islands. I hope that future generations can reap the fruits of this exercise," said Balkenende. He said the change hadn't happened overnight. However, he added, "Talks have always been open, honest and clear, as they should be in a mature Kingdom."
Dutch caretaker State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ank Bijleveld-Schouten said she was relieved that the process had been successfully completed. She stressed that the exercise to realise new relations hadn't been undertaken simply to change the structure of the Kingdom. "We wanted it to benefit the people of the islands," she said.
She said in an interview after the signing that even though the process hadn't been easy, with "harsh words" exchanged at times along the way, parties had always been able to find a compromise.
As for St. Maarten, she said she had always defended the island, also when the Dutch Parliament's Second Chamber had expressed doubts about St. Maarten's capacity to become a country. "I always remained confident that we could do this the right way," she said.
Bijleveld-Schouten lauded the input of St. Maarten's Constitutional Affairs Commissioner William Marlin and said he had shown the right attitude by saying that St. Maarten couldn't do it alone. "That was their salvation, because otherwise it would not have worked," she said. A number of tasks St. Maarten cannot fully execute on its own have been placed under supervision through the plans of approach.
The amendment to the Charter needed to secure the new relations is a "stable foundation" for further cooperation in the Kingdom based on equality, Dutch caretaker Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations and Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin told The Daily Herald in an interview after the signing. "It is a beautiful, significant moment," said the Minister, who has been involved in the process since 1998.
Antillean Prime Minister Emily de Jongh-Elhage expressed the wish that partners in the Kingdom would continue their cooperation after the Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist. "We should continue based on what binds us, not what divides us. We have come a long way," she said.
Aruba's Prime Minister Mike Eman welcomed the new Countries Curaçao and St. Maarten into the Kingdom. "I am sure that we will continue to work together. Our friendship with all islands will remain forever. I foresee great new possibilities for this Kingdom," he said.
Commissioner Marlin said the Kingdom had been reshaped. "It signals the end of a process that took 10 years and three months since the people of St. Maarten voted for country status in June 2000," he said.
Curaçao's new Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs Sheldry Osepa called Thursday an "historic day" that marked a "next step" in the emancipation and the further development of the people of Curaçao.
"The constitutional train has arrived," said St. Eustatius' Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs Julian Woodley. He said the new relations would give the islands the opportunity to show that together they could work to the benefit of the people.
Saba's Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs Chris Johnson said it was fitting that, as the smallest island, Saba was the last island to sign the conclusions document of the final RTC and to "turn off the lights and close the door." He said Saba remained steadfast in the process. He expressed the wish for continued close cooperation with St. Maarten, which serves as Saba's hub. Suzanne Koelega
